Life Of Cat
by Another-Tragedy
Summary: The time has come for fate to be undone... and so begins the tale of a new kind of afterlife. The ShadowLands, created by StarClan for the nonredeemable souls. A new prophecy, with a demon, an angel, and a battle to the death. A new apprentice rises in the ranks of ShadowClan, discovering secrets known only to the darkness. An entirely new challenge puts all of the Clans in danger.
1. Prologue

_**Welcome to Life of Cat, or LOC as I will often call it. This is a rewrite of another story still open on my profile. If you would like to read it feel free. but know it's a product of the writer I was two years ago. I've really improved since then and hope you like this story. The updates will be less often in the start of this story and will probably pick up once I start school, cause I'll have more access to a computer and in general. Hope you enjoy!**_

 _ **-Tragedy**_

 **Prologue:**

Dark. Too dark. She was trapped. No way out. No way to see around her. She growled, clawing through the floor and thrashing about. Surely there must be some exit. Light has to be found even in the darkest places, right? But alas, nothing was found. Hours and hours of poking and prodding. Hours of crying and eventually the cold realization found her. She was trapped, indefinitely. No way out. No cat to talk to. Nothing.

She cursed, blaming her luck, her love, her idiotic spawn. Of course it would be the ones she raised to be the death of her. Of course they would send her to her doom. But...it wasn't both of them. Just one. The one she had planned on casting aside. Again, she cursed. Blaming her luck, her love, and her idiotic plans. How brilliant they had seemed, but how stupid they were now.

"My dear, I didn't think you could die."

Her eyes narrowed, hours she had spent in this void of a place. Only now had someone thought to find her? "Death is relative. I'm still alive, just not...living."

A laugh from the cat who found her, "However, you are in fact dead, my dear." A flash of ginger fur, before it disappeared, "Death fits you, Opin. And not just because you're a murderer,"

She scoffed. Cursed silently. Death couldn't look like this. She had heard of StarClan, and the Place of No Stars. Surely, with all of the cats who had seen their dead ancestors, the tales couldn't be a lie? "Where am I? Which afterlife is this?" More and more questions surfaced. Questions she should have asked when she was alive. Questions that really made no sense now...

"You really don't know?" Another laugh. She could tell she was going to really hate this cat, "This is an entirely new world, my dear. A world StarClan likes to call the ShadowLands. Though we like to call it Purgatory."

"Who's we?"

"All the cats who have no way of redemption, those banned from interacting with the living world. We are trapped here in this darkness, with no lights to guide us and no one to talk to. Until now, of course." The start of a maniacal laugh, "And you, my dear, Opin. You will help us become free. As the Prophecy says, _The one with eyes of frost with help set the world aflame._ "

It was...interesting. Interesting enough for Opin to go along with this strange cat's plans. It was a long conversation. A process which she missed all too much. Her kits prevented her from scheming, and now that she was dead she didn't have to worry about that anymore. Such a lovely life, being dead. The two cats talked for days, coming up with plans and improving on ones that no longer seemed necessary with new ideas popping up to the surface. They were never satisfied with their plan, but they would never be. It was a risk, with many different outcomes. But first, came the initiation.

"We must find light, my dear." The tom whispered as they woke from an indeterminable amount of sleep, "Light is the only way to grasp our surroundings." A pause, without a laugh for once, "The only plausible way to get it is to go to the living world. Though it seems impossible, my associate may have found a solution to this problem."

"Wait. First I must know something." It had been days, possibly moons since they met, "Your name, what is it?"

A laugh, "You surprise me yet again, my dear. Of all the things you could care about I would've least expected my name." More laughter.

Opin growled, "Enough with this laughing nonsense. I need your name, nevermind my reasons to have it."

The laughing halted, "As you wish, my dear. My name is Speck." Silence followed, meant to be an agreement. Speck continued with his associate's device to bring light to Purgatory, "The first step is to find a cat's dream. I've heard of cats in Purgatoy stumbling upon dreams and bringing light to where they step. It's supposedly quite difficult, but might be our only option. For us to accomplish this my dear, we must stick together. As closely as possible so we don't confuse ourselves. I've wandered around here for countless seasons upon countless seasons trying to grab hold of my bearings, but it seems Purgatory shifts every once in a while. Everything twists and turns where you think it didn't, and drops into great chasms where there once were steep hills."

"So...there is no predicting the terrain of these ShadowLands, and we must happen to stumble upon some cat's dreams?" Opin growled. This place would get on her nerves for however long she had to stay, "We'd better go then."

Suddenly she felt the brush of another cat's fur against her. She tensed, until Speck's voice followed, "Well then, my dear, we stick together until the dream hits us."

And so they went, walking through the dark void they lived in. They bumped into obstacles and told themselves it was just a tree or a bush. Sometimes blood was drawn by what they told themselves were thorns or sharp branches. They walked for what they thought were moons. Never sleeping, continuously searching. Occasionally they saw a flash of light and ran towards it, but it disappeared once they got close. They lost each other a couple of times, And were forced to stall their search until they found each other again. They never once gave up the hope that a dream would be found to give them the light they needed. Or at least, Speck never did,

"We've wandered all over this forsaken place, Speck!" Opin growled, wincing at the sudden hoarseness of her voice. They had been so concentrated on finding their light they forgot to talk to each other, "We'll never find a dream, we'll never get enough light to escape."

"Mr dear, Opin, you mustn't give up hope." A paw was awkwardly placed on her shoulder, a sign of comfort. Idiotic, "We have seen the light, we just can't reach it. Everything will play its part. Remember the prophecy I told you about? _The one with eyes of frost will help set the world aflame."_

"What does that even mean!" Opin growled, "I can't possibly believe that's the only part of the prophecy, so why don't you give me the full story?"

A sigh, followed by small laughter, "Fine, my dear. I suppose my secrets won't help us proceed with our plans. The prophecy, in full:

 _"The time has come for fate to be undone._

 _"The angel will arrive on wings of black death. Let the nettle's thorns beside him. Let the blazing flame guide him. Let the night's wind heal him._

 _"The one with eyes of frost will help set the world aflame. Beware of her anger. Beware of her revenge._

 _"The demon will arrive with claws of dark steel. Let the frost slowly burn him. Let the fire slowly freeze him._

 _"The time has come for fate to be undone. The angel, the demon, and the frost will fight until the very last breath."_

Opin closed her eyes, trying to understand. According to Speck, she was the one with eyes of frost. But how could he know what her eyes looked like? How could he have known her name when they first met? Questions, more than before, more than ever, ran through her head. As she opened her mouth to speak, she felt the ground jerk underneath her. A sudden flash of light entered her vision, and she saw the world around her for the first time. It was nothing like she expected, there were hardly any trees or brush. Barely any grass. Simply hard gray... _something_. The only thing that stood out was an opening to a cave behind them.

"Well, my dear, it seems we've found a dream."

And they were thrown into the light.


	2. Fascinations

**Welcome to the next chapter! I hope you all are enjoy the story so far, and I hope those reading this after the original version are enjoying it too! Just a warning for those who are reading from the last version, since my writing style has changed, Cat's POV _is_ third person. I find that I write better this way, though I know much of the humor originated from Cat's narration. I'm also making Cat less of a cold-hearted killer, simply a wannabe serial killer. **

**-Tragedy**

 **also, DappledleafTheBootiful, I am in fact accepting OCs. I would love to incorporate other people's characters into this story!**

 _Run._

 _Run away from all this._

 _Run, and you will forget everything._

Those were the first words he could remember. Who said them exactly, though, he would probably never know. He suspected his mother. She was the only cat he was ever close to, though his lack of memory of her clouded his opinions. Only the rumors of a mother's love shaped the image of his. He could only wonder why she told him to run, why she told him to forget. Surely his life would've been easier and much more enjoyable knowing who his mother was?

The sky was bright that day, the sun shining on his black fur and giving it a sharp red tint. Funny, how it reminded him of blood. How the smell, that sweet bitter tang, of blood ran through his mind. Maybe that's why he had to leave his mother. She was ashamed of her son who fantasized about blood. Who wouldn't be?

He often thought of killing. Rarely he had the chance, though. The thought of sinking his claws and teeth into cat flesh made his mind spin. Sure catching prey was necessary for survival, but killing... _murder_...that would be fun. He supposed it was odd to be thinking about such a crime. Especially for a cat barely over ten moons. Still innocent, not even having experienced a full four seasons. Most cats he encountered tried to persuade him off the dark path he followed, but his thoughts always wandered back to death.

Now, they tried to force him to leave. It made sense for them to worry, the last thing any cat wants is for an innocent house cat to end up dead and twolegs causing a ruckus in their mostly peaceful community. Everyone knew how meddlesome twolegs could be, especially for a rogue trying to avoid capture. But he refused to leave. Not until they lost their strong smell of fear.

He'd become quite addicted to it, fear. It cleared his head for some strange reason. He doubted he'd ever figure out why his brain made him feel this way.

Now, the cats didn't talk to him. They didn't have the courage to. He had changed too much for their comfort. Sharper claws, taller stance, and brighter, deadlier, eyes. He liked his new transition. It made him seem stronger, much more...dangerous.

 _Run._

 _Run away from all this._

 _Run, and you will forget..._

Oh, why did mother have to cast him out? Why send him away instead of nurturing him into a better life? What happened to him as a kit to fascinate him with the smell of death and fear? Why must he be tormented by these words?

The seemingly blood-stained fur caught his eyes again. He loved how the sun shone, marking him with what he found most interesting. It was a well of inspiration. He closed his eyes, letting his imagination carry him. Cats' blood splashing on concrete. Guts falling from surprised victims. Fear scent filling his nostrils and giving him a sort of peace he couldn't achieve without it. He loved the thought of seeing the light fade from their eyes, struggling to stay alive. Their limbs and blood decorating the streets would be his masterpiece. A reminder that he was a force to be reckoned with. It would be so wonderful to just feel that warm, sticky blood between his claws. Such a gruesome act made him drool.

"Cat!"

He was so lost in his mind he almost didn't hear it. The taste of their flesh. His teeth sinking into their bones. It was wonderful indeed.

"Cat!"

But he was ripped from his fantasies. It was only a whisper of a voice, from where he was, but he recognized it immediately. His eyes narrowed, wondering what this particular she-cat could possibly be calling him for. She must be impossibly desperate.

"Cat!"

He weighed his options. He could go see what all the ruckus was about, or he could stay right where he was. Perched on a thick bricked fence in the heat of the sun, bathing his fur in light and imagining his deathly glorious fantasies. If he stayed where he was, she might just die and leave him alone. But, he would be truly alone then. No cat to talk to, except for the occasional forced conversations he put upon other cats so he could stand his loneliness.

He sighed, and got up from his comfortable position as she called for him again. Jumping down from his perch and walking down the streets, his claws started tingling. He liked this feeling. The feeling when he so desperately wanted to kill. Maybe he'll be able to live his fantasies this time.

Soon, after slowly trotting toward the howls that called him, he picked up her scent. Blood and roses, such a deadly aroma for someone like her. Though, she was his sister. Perhaps his fascination with death had rubbed off on her. He scoffed, not likely. Not at all.

He turned a corner, into a large alleyway, and saw her, bloody and gasping. Two toms stood over her, growling and hissing.

"Cat!"

She smiled and used too much effort to alert the toms to his presence. Her head lolled back and she fell unconscious. He narrowed his eyes, without her consciously fighting to live she could die. This would be over quickly.

"What are you doing here?" One of the toms, a ginger tabby, spat, "Can't you see we're busy?"

Cat tapped his claws on the pavement, "Oh, I see. I'm just wondering how best to kill you." He smiled.

The other tom, white with dark gray stripes down his flank and tail, turned away from his victim, "News flash, buddy, we're older and more experienced. What makes you think you can kill us?"

Truthfully, he didn't know. But that wouldn't stop him from making them so afraid that they would run tail between their legs. That's what worked every time before, and that's what would work now. Hopefully. But Cat continued to tap his claws against the pavement, conjuring a tune in his head. He walked forward, humming softly. The toms crouched in a battle-ready stance, but Cat could sense their uneasiness. They would hesitate, and he would reign victorious.

"News flash, mousebrains, I'm a killer."

And he pounced. His claws looked like daggers, making the toms hesitate just like Cat foresaw. He landed on the ginger tom's back, and tried to scratch the other's eyes. He was shaken off quickly as Ginger regained himself. Cat was flung against a wall, but landed on his paws. He lunged again, aiming for White this time. His opponent quickly dipped underneath him as he lunged and kicked him to the ground. Cat groaned, thinking that maybe he wasn't all that battle ready.

One look at Joann was all he needed to put himself back in his normal mindset. How could he think so poorly of himself. He was the demon of the twoleg place. Nothing would stand in his way.

Ginger growled and raised his paws. Cat bared his fangs and gnawed down on his attackers paws. His teeth sank into Ginger's paw-pads, and the tom yowled in anger. He vainly took a precious moment to carefully lick at the delicate skin, giving Cat an opportunity to give a killing blow.

Then White struck down, forcing Cat to the ground. Jaws clamped down on his back, and he was flung away. Scratches marked his skin as he skidded across the hard ground, but he shook off his injuries and hissed as ferociously as he could.

"Snowshadow, my paw is ruined!" Ginger mewled, "I need to go see Cloudbreeze."

Snowshadow, that was apparently White's name, turned and growled, "We're in the middle of a fight! Surely your _precious paw_ can wait a few heartbeats."

Ginger rolled his eyes, and sat delicately holding out his injured paw, "It's my _pads,_ Snowshadow. He bit my paw pads. I can't walk on all four paws now, and he's already scratched up my back!"

"Firestone," Snowshadow sighed, "you are going to die one day, and I'm not going to mourn you." He turned to growl at Cat once more. "You're dead next time, snake-heart."

The walked away, Firestone on three paws, back down the alley. Cat looked after them incredulously. Such a strange encounter. He was sad he didn't get to kill one of them, but he had other things to worry about.

His sister was fighting to stay conscious, her eyes were fluttering open and closed. Cat grabbed her scruff, glad that he was at least strong enough to carry a cat slightly heavier than him. His sister was one to get food from the twolegs generous enough to give. Cat preferred catching his food, and that fact was obvious when the siblings stood side by side.

He carried her to the river, a trail of blood steadily streaming out of her wounds. He walked a bit faster than he would have, it would be tragic to make an effort to save his sister and have her die on the way to their destination.

Cat dragged her to his 'home', an abandoned fox den by a small river. Once close enough to the river, he threw her body as best he could into the slowly moving water. He would help her, but it wouldn't be fun unless she was panicked and yowling.

"Great Stars Cat! I'm injured and you're probably making it worse!" She raced out onto dry land and shook herself of the water, also spraying drops of blood. Some of her blood landed on his pelt, and he drank in the smell, the feeling, of his fur touching blood. He stood dazed for multiple heartbeats until his sister brought him back from the void of his mind, "Are you going to help me or not?"

"Joann, I'm wondering why I didn't just let you die." Cat walked away towards a small abandoned fox den. He emerged clutching a pawful of cobwebs, and placed them carefully on Joann's wounds. She hissed at the stinging sensation, but calmed again once the pain was bearable, "I've been through more battles and suffered a lot more injuries than you have. I've had to heal myself somehow."

As he placed the cobwebs, he sometimes found himself staring at the blood longer than he should have. He kept getting entranced by the scent of it. The small remnants of Joann's fear scent. The blood stained cobwebs. It was all so...enticing.

Soon everything was all patched up, and Joann walked back toward her own home. Cat was alone once again. It wasn't anything different than usual, but for some reason he felt...emptier than he normally did. He lay down with a sigh, a dipped one paw into the river water. He traced a pattern with his claws, humming the same tune from when he rescued Joann. After countless moments, the sun set. He had eventually stopped humming, but Cat was still moving his claw in the water. The repeated movement, and the growing darkness, lulled him to sleep.

* * *

 _A bright light forced him to open his eyes. He was in a forest, definitely not the plains where he had gone to sleep. Alarm made him jump to his paws and unsheathe his claws, then crouch down to a fighting stance._

 _The time has come for fate to be undone._

 _A voice. To his left. No! The right._

 _The time has come..._

 _Wait, it was all around him. A whisper, but it seemed to shake the ground beneath him._

 _The angel is arriving on his wings of black death._

 _What...what was this? This was not normal._

 _The demon is arriving with his claws of dark steel._

 _Dread suddenly filled him to the core. Streams of blood rained down from pure white clouds above him. It didn't take long for Cat to be swept away in the flood._

 _Fight until the last breath._

 _Everything stopped. Cat took a deep breath, and everything moved backwards at twice the speed it had before. He landed on a cliff, covered in blood that wasn't his own. For once he hated the overwhelming smell. Bile rose up his throat, and he vomited._

 _The time has come for fate to be undone._

 _He was suddenly extremely out of breath. He closed his eyes, but not before seeing a cat's ginger paws cross his vision._

 _"My dear, it appears fate is coming undone indeed."_


	3. Joann

**Welcome to the next chapter! Sorry for the extreme delay, I've been trying to find little ways to revise the first chapter and get a little introduction to the Clans in place. As for those of you who wanted OCs incorporated in LOC, please message me privately so I can easily access and organize my thoughts on them. And keep in mind that this story will eventually move on to the Clans, mainly in ShadowClan. Also if you have a small plot/story-line you feel could be implemented please pm me as well! Sometimes my brain can get a little fuzzy on plot and where to take things. I've decided to take a huge leap from what this story was before and make it into something a lot more reasonable, as well as developing characters (specifically Joann and a few select Clan cats) more; which you'll see a bit in this chapter. I'll also post Allegiances in a few chapters once the transition to the Clans in final.**

 **Another notice, the chapters will probably switch perspective often. I don't want to tell the entire story from Cat's perspective because he can be extremely biased in a lot of things. Developing characters can be quite difficult when writing in the point of view of someone who hates everyone, even when you're writing in third person! I won't make too much of a distinction between them, though I'll usually title the chapters with the name of the cat I'm writing in if I've never written with them before.**

 **-Tragedy**

 **Chapter 2: Joann**

Opin stretched out her claws, drinking in the sight of the forest around her. For the first time since she died there was light within her reach. It didn't matter how she got it. It didn't matter the warnings Speck gave her after disturbing her son's dreams, much less that the dream was most likely sent to Cat by StarClan themselves. She could _see_. Oh, how she missed the sights of the forest. The prey, the undergrowth, and the trees that touched the sky.

When she looked down into the river, her reflection made her smile from ear to ear. Scars covered her face, marred her once beautiful pelt. A reminder of what her idiotic spawn did to her. A reminder of why she so desperately needed to win this 'fight to the death' she was supposedly a part of.

"My dear, I fear that StarClan will catch us. They will send us back into the darkness, back into Purgatory." Speck pleaded with Opin, urging them to move on with their plans.

Opin wouldn't let them, "Now, Speck, where's the fun in running? Let them try to find us, let them _try_. According to you, I'll set the world on fire." She grinned, and Speck didn't speak a word more.

* * *

Her frosty blue eyes opened quickly, followed by a sharp gasp. Joann's throat was scratchy, and she crawled up from her bed to the water bowl the twolegs provided for her at the edge of their small garden. The cool liquid eased her throat, and she coughed before stretching out the rest of her body. She knew she'd had a dream while she slept, but she remembered nothing.

She caught her reflection in the water and shuddered. All the pain from her scratches from yesterday came rushing back. She flinched with each step, cursing herself for not even trying to fight back. The toms…they hurt her more than anyone ever had before. She didn't know if they were desperate or simply just that cruel. It only took her a few more steps and a moment of thought before she decided.

 _I need to get_ stronger.

Almost four seasons has passed since her birth. She'd met cats moons younger than her fight like cats seasons older. Maybe it was time for her to learn. She'd heard of the Clans of cats around the lake. The house cats and rogues sometimes gossiped about them, toms debating on who would win in a fight, and she-cats raving about their _'gorgeous muscles'_.

 _I_ need _to get_ stronger _… no matter what it takes._

That was it. The Clans were going to help her, whether they liked it or not. But she wasn't going to go alone, definitely not. Wild cats who fought to the death constantly would want to see her fighting skills. No, she couldn't fight, not yet.

She picked herself up, hissing at the bit of pain that still tortured her. She headed toward her brother's river, towards the only cat she knew who could survive against these 'warriors'. He would help her, and she didn't care what she had to do to make him.

She took it slow, stepping lightly to ease the strain she put on her wounds. She realized Cat would have to redress the wounds, blood was already starting to break through again. Her brother was careful with her yesterday. A side to him he'd never seen before. Maybe she could use that to her advantage.

He was awake when she approached, glaring at the tall pine forest he built his home next to. Joann heard a low growl situated in his throat, and wondered if he was thinking of killing the cats who attacked her yesterday. "Joann?" He blinked slowly, turning around in surprise, "W-what are you doing here?" His eyes widened at the scent of her blood, and he shot up to analyze the wound. It was most definitely weird, Joann concurred, that Cat would be so fond of helping her heal. Usually he was so dull and lifeless.

Cat raced over to the den where he kept his…herbs, such a strange thing for her obsessed-with-death brother to have, and emerged with another large bundle of cobwebs. After urging Joann to sit and be as calm as possible Cat began delicately placing the sticky webbing to his sister's wounds. Joann hissed when it stung and growled when Cat accidentally pricked her with his claws. He constantly mumbled apologies, but took great care in making sure the scratch was fully dressed. Once satisfied, he backed away a few fox-lengths and sat with his tail curled finely around his legs.

"Thank you…" Joann whispered, though she knew her brother would hear her, "I know I can be a nuisance sometimes, so, thank you." She looked at him a smiled softly, thinking of how she could get him to escort her to the forest. His surprise at her words was evident by his gaping jaw. It could be she could convince him with kindness...but being too kind would only bring trouble later. Joann didn't want to get too attached. Not to a cat who fantasized death.

A bit of movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention, then the smell of the cats who attacked her. As she looked past her brother a single cat walked toward them, a she-cat with sleek ginger fur.

"I was told I would find two black-furred cats out here." She mewed once within earshot, "My leader has told me to give you two a warning." She sat calmly, green eyes narrowing. Joann noticed a small black mark underneath her left eye, "If you attack our warriors again, there will be dire consequences. We would hate to have to interrupt the peace of the twoleg place with two corpses."

Fear then took control of Joann's mind. She wanted to run, but was frozen in place. She wanted to be angry at herself for being afraid, but was too focused on the intimidating gaze of the newcomer.

Cat seemed to be distracted for multiple heartbeats, but then shook himself as if he was shaking off water, "I'm sorry, but your 'warriors' attacked _us_. I was only defending my sister."

The she-cat bristled, annoyed, "Our warriors are ordered to not let anyone stand in their way. Let no cat disturb our territory, and let any who do die slowly." Her voice dropped, Joann's legs started to give out. She couldn't stand being this afraid over mere threats!

"Those toms were definitely _not_ on your territory!" Cat spat.

The she-cat bared her fangs, sharper and larger than any Joann had ever seen. She felt faint...and so angry... _Why am I so fearful? Why can't I be braver, or stronger, or anything else..._

Growls and hisses were exchanged between Cat and the ginger she-cat, until she lunged. Her claws were unsheathed, and sharp. So very sharp. Joann suddenly longed for claws like that.

Cat rolled out of the way just in time, but still almost too late. Joann suddenly feared for her brother. Sure he had gone against rogues without much battle experience, but Clan cats were trained for combat. Again, she wanted to run away.

Cat staggered to his feet, and the she-cat struck again. This time she clawed at his face, bloodying his forehead and nose. Cat stumbled to the ground, shaking his head. Once more, he slowly rose to his feet and growled. He shook his head again, ridding himself of the blood that dripped into his eyes. The she-cat lunged a third time, but Cat twisted underneath her at the last second. She fell awkwardly to the ground, giving Cat his own chance to strike. He jumped onto her back, digging his claws in as deep as they could go. The she-cat tried to shake him off, but he was smaller; it was easier for him to keep his grip. He reached down and bit the back of her neck, causing her to yowl and roll over. She winced as she rose to her feet and bared her fangs.

"I will not hesitate to kill you!" Cat spat back. Joann saw him slightly falter as he spoke. It wasn't his character to falter. What was _wrong_ with him? He seemed to be distracted.

Suddenly a yowl echoed through the plains. A brown tom came running from the forests, sleek-furred and thick muscled. The ginger she-cat turned quickly, then gave an exaggerated sigh once she saw him. She gave one last glare to Cat, showing her fangs as well, then swiftly retreated. Joann let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, and her brother was tense with what she could only assume was rage. Once again he didn't have a chance to kill like he so desperately wanted. Once again...

 _He saved me..._ Joann thought, _He willingly fought such a menacing cat for_ me _. There must be something wrong with him..._

It was the only explanation. He was sick, or he hit his head, or _something_. Cat wasn't the type to go around protecting anyone. He was the type to go around trying to sink his claws into anything that breathed. He didn't care who lived or died, all he wanted was his own happiness and pleasure. There was no possible way that Cat would have wanted to protect his sister. Not now, not ever.

 _And yet..._

There was something in the way he had cared for her injuries. Something in the way he delicately placed the cobwebs, and in the way he immediately pulled back when Joann growled or snarled. Maybe...maybe there was a caring bone in his body. Maybe she could allow herself to get a little bit attached. Just a little...

Joann watched the ginger she-cat and the brown-furred tom retreat back into the forest. Even from so far away, she could tell those cats were well exercised. They reminded her of her goal. The reason for her coming to her brother. Her reasons to be _nice_ to him.

"Cat..." She whispered, "A-are you okay?" Joann acted weak. She finally had an idea in her mind of how to get to the Clans. Manipulate Cat's newfound protectiveness. She'd need him to redress her injuries for the next few days, she would have an excuse to see him. It wouldn't be random, though eventually she would have to get him to take her to the Clans. Her eyes narrowed for a heartbeat as she plotted, though widened again as Cat turned to look at her.

"Are _you_ okay?" He questioned, "That cat kind of came out of nowhere." He smirked and slowly licked the blood off his claws, seeming to savor the taste. Here he was, right back to being the crazed death obsessed brother Joann was used to. She immediately made up her mind. Getting attached to her brother was most definitely _not_ a good idea.

* * *

She walked back through the forest, face hot with embarrassment. The brown tom next to her lectured her, "-much as I hate to say it, I _completely_ disrespect Hollystar's decision for deputy. You are so irresponsible and immature! Firestone and Snowshadow were bad, and wrong, but just because they got attacked does _not_ mean you go and get revenge for them! Besides, they even explicitly confessed to attacking the kittypet _first._ They were far beyong our territory and looking for something that didn't exist, you had _no right_ to -"

She lowered her head, trying to flatten her ears against her head and block out the noise. They pushed through the entrance to the ShadowClan camp, the tom still speaking even though she didn't listen to a word. A thick-furred black she-cat stood atop a hazel branch, narrowing her eyes as she caught sight of the two cats entering the camp.

"Sunwind!" She yowled, jumping down and quickly striding over to them, "I thought I told you to leave the kittypets alone. You disobeyed me." The ginger she-cat flinched underneath her leader's piercing red gaze, "There are many cats in this Clan who suggest I should change my choice of deputy." The black cat stood taller, "I would hate to have to replace you. So why not at least _try_ to follow instructions next time, hmm?"

Sunwind nodded timidly. She hated being reprimanded, but that's what she got for being loyal to her Clanmates.

"Good," Hollystar ran her eyes over the deputy, "Now go get cleaned up."

She stalked off to the medicine cat's den, ears flattened and head low. She caught the stares of the others, judging her. She spotted Firestone across the camp talking to other warriors, his whining voice almost carrying to the deputy's ears. She huffed, all her life she had been taught to remember the wrongs other cats inflicted on her and her Clanmates. Get revenge. Show no mercy. All of a sudden, everything seemed to be changing.

"Oh dear, come here, let's see to your wounds."

One thing was for sure. Sunwind _would_ get revenge. No rogue or kittypet would ever get in her way again.


End file.
